Stuffed toy or doll comprising a complementary attention-attracting device

ABSTRACT

In this toy in the form of a teddy bear or doll, the complementary attention-arousing device is composed of an animation module ( 2 ) comprising an integrated imaging system ( 3 ), placed opposite a transparent screen ( 4 ) arranged on the envelope of the body of the toy.  
     This imaging system ( 3 ) is mounted on a support in the form of a carrousel ( 6 ) driven into rotation by back-geared means ( 8 ) supplied by a source of energy ( 14 ), and associated with a control member in the form of a switch ( 15 ), enabling the continuous or sequential scrolling of said imaging system ( 3 ) opposite said transparent screen ( 4 ).  
     The animation module comprises still a lighting device ( 16 ) adapted to light up the portion of the imaging system ( 3 ) placed opposite the transparent screen ( 4 ), which lighting device ( 16 ) is supplied by the source of energy ( 14 ) and associated with a control member in the form of a switch ( 15 ).

[0001] This invention concerns the general domain of games and toys; it concerns more particularly the toys in the form of teddy bears or dolls whereof the body section integrates a complementary device intended for arousing the attention, in particular of young children.

[0002] The documents FR-A-2 711 543, U.S. Pat. No. 5,114,376, U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,500 or still U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,526 describe dolls or teddy bears fitted with sound, visual or mechanical animation modules associated with activation means.

[0003] This invention aims at increasing the appeal of this kind of toy by associating an original animation structure.

[0004] According to the invention, the complementary attention-arousing device is composed of an animation module comprising an imaging system placed opposite a transparent screen arranged on the envelope of the body of the toy. This imaging system is mounted on a support in the form of a carrousel driven into rotation by back-geared means supplied by a source of energy, and associated with a control member in the form of a switch, enabling the continuous or sequential scrolling of said imaging system opposite said transparent screen. The animation module also comprises a lighting device, suited to light the portion of the imaging system placed opposite the transparent screen; this lighting device is supplied by the source of energy of the back-geared means and it is associated with a control member in the form of a switch which can be the control switch of the back-geared means or which can be distinct.

[0005] According to a first possible embodiment, the imaging system consists of a decorated tape shaped into a cylinder on the supporting carrousel,

[0006] According to another possible embodiment, the imaging system consists of a plurality of slides laid out in appropriate housings arranged on the supporting carrousel, which carrousel is associated with sequential activation means, whereas depressing the control switch causes the following slide to be positioned opposite the transparent screen.

[0007] In such a case, the toy comprises advantageously a switch dedicated to the lighting device, and a switch dedicated to the sequential driving of the carrousel. It is also foreseen to provide adapted means which enable to record sound messages and to broadcast them one by one, as each slide is positioned opposite the transparent screen.

[0008] According to still another particularity, the toy integrates sound animation means actuated by the control means of the imaging system and/or the control means of the lighting device.

[0009] According to another particularity of the invention, the imaging system, its bracket, as well as the activation means of this bracket, are integrated in a box structure composed of a casing fitted with one removable front face which constitutes the transparent screen, which box structure comprises means to interconnect it with the periphery of an opening arranged in the envelope of the body of the toy.

[0010] According still to another particularity, the lighting device is positioned inside the carrousel, or just above, fixed to the upper wall of the casing, and this wall comprises an orifice through which run the electric supply cables of said lighting system.

[0011] According to another characteristic, the front face of the box structure comprises—an external portion whereof at least one zone is transparent, and—an internal portion in the form of a frame, between which is squeezed the periphery of the opening arranged in the envelope of the body of the toy. Both two internal and external portions forming the front face of the box structure comprise removable assembly means; these assembly means consistent preferably of fastening screws laid out internally, i.e. mounted on the internal portion and adapted to be screwed in orifices arranged on the external portion.

[0012] According to a particularly interesting characteristic, the frame which constitutes the internal portion of the front face of the box structure is a part independent of the box casing, said box casing and said internal frame comprising removable interconnection means.

[0013] This particularity enables to mount in advance the front face of the box structure on the envelope of the body of the toy, then to add, through the interior, the remainder of the box structure.

[0014] The removable interconnection means between the box casing and the internal frame have advantageously the form of snap-on tongues co-operating with appropriate orifices.

[0015] According to still another particularity, the opening arranged in the envelope of the body of the toy is surrounded by an added reinforcement frame, interconnected by any appropriate means, in particular by a system of seams. This reinforcement frame of plastic material is advantageously fitted with orifices letting through screws for removable assembly between the external portion and the internal portion of the front face of the box.

[0016] But the invention will be still illustrated, without being limited thereto, by the following description of two particular embodiments, given solely for exemplification purposes and represented on the appended drawings wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 is a front view of a toy in the form of teddy bears whereof the body integrates a possible embodiment of the animation module according to this invention;

[0018]FIG. 2 illustrates the animation module integrated to the teddy bear of FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the imaging system in the form of a cylindrical tape fitted on animation module of FIG. 2;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bracket of the imaging system illustrated on FIG. 3;

[0021]FIG. 5 is a diagrammatical representation of the electric circuit performing the operation of the animation module illustrated on FIG. 2;

[0022]FIG. 6 is a sectional view which shows the principle of interconnection of the box structure integrating the animation module, with the envelope of the body of the toy;

[0023]FIG. 7 shows the principle of interconnection illustrated on FIG. 6, seen in perspective;

[0024]FIG. 8 shows another possible embodiment of the imaging system according to this invention.

[0025] The toy 1 illustrated on FIG. 1 is in the form of a teddy bear with a head, a body section and four legs; its body section integrates an animation module 2 which comprises in particular a scrolling imaging system 3, accessible visually from the outside by means of a transparent screen 4.

[0026] The structure and the operation of the animation module 2 are detailed on FIGS. 2 to 7.

[0027] As can be seen on FIGS. 2 to 5, the imaging system is composed of a printed tape 3 formed into a cylinder and mounted on a bracket 6 in the form of a carrousel driven into rotation by a back-geared assembly 8.

[0028] The printed tape 3 is represented individually on FIG. 3. It is preferably a tape of transparent material on which is printed a decor, a juxtaposition of drawings, of inscriptions or others . . .

[0029] On FIG. 3, one can see the zone 9 of interconnection of both ends of the tape; this interconnection can be provided using glue or an adhesive tape, notably.

[0030] The cylindrical tape 3 is placed in the supporting carrousel 6, represented individually on FIG. 4. This carrousel 6 has the general shape of a cylindrical bowl made of transparent plastic material, comprising a cylindrical wall 6′ and a circular bottom 6″. the external face of the decorated tape 3 is intended to press against the internal face of the cylindrical wall 6′; if necessary, the tape 3 is interconnected with the wall 6′.

[0031] The bottom 6″ of the cylindrical carrousel 6 is mounted at the end of a vertical rotary axis 10 which is controlled by the back-geared means 8 in order to drive it into rotation and to scroll the imaging system 3 opposite the transparent screen 4.

[0032] The interconnection of the carrousel 6 with the axis 10 is made by means of a fastening screw 12.

[0033] One or several batteries 14 (rechargeable or not) supply the back-geared means 8.

[0034] The activation of these back-geared means 8 is provided by means of a switch 15, for instance a pressure switch, housed at the end of one of the legs (or arms) of the toy.

[0035] Simultaneously to the activation of the back-geared means 8, the switch 15 controls the lighting of a diode 16 (or lamp) adapted to light up the zone of the imaging system 3 placed opposite the transparent screen 4. This switch 15 can also control at the same time the trigger of a sound animation module 18 (for playing a song, a melody, music or other . . . ).

[0036] A possible example of the corresponding electric circuit is illustrated on FIG. 5.

[0037] With the exception of the switch 15, and possibly the source of energy 14 and the sound module 18, the different elements of the animation module 2 are integrated in a protective box structure 20 wedged in the internal packing of the toy and whereof the front face which constitutes the transparent screen 4 comprises means for fastening the envelope to the body of the toy.

[0038] This protective box structure 20, detailed on FIGS. 2, 6 and 7, is composed of a casing 22 of general parallelepiped shape, fitted with a removable front face 23 (which does not show on FIG. 2).

[0039] The casing element 22 consists of a single-piece assembly of plastic material comprising two lateral walls 24, 25, a rear wall 26, an upper wall 27 and a lower wall 28.

[0040] This lower wall 28 comprises a central opening 29 surrounded by two parallel rails 30 which enable the assembly on the casing 22 of the back-geared means 8, and the integration of the imaging system 3 with its support 6 fixed to the end of the axis 10.

[0041] To do so, the back-geared means 8 are housed in a box 32 fitted with lateral slides 33 adapted to the rails 30 (FIG. 2).

[0042] On the FIGS. 2 and 6, one may note that the lighting lamp or diode 16 is fixed in the centre of the upper wall 27 of the casing 22, substantially opposite and perpendicular to the axis 10; the upper wall 27 comprises a central orifice 34 through which run the electric supply cables of this diode/lamp 16. The lighting device 16 is consequently fixed to the wall situated opposite the one which carries the back-geared means 8; it is positioned inside the space of the rotary cylinder 6, or just above, in order to obtain optimum lighting of the printed tape 3 from the rear.

[0043] The removable front face 23 which is associated with the casing 22 is structured to enable visual access from the outside to the integrated imaging system.

[0044] This front face 23, detailed on FIGS. 6 and 7, comprises two independent portions, one external 36 fitted on the transparent central portion 37, and the other internal 38 in the form of a frame, which squeeze the periphery of an opening 39 arranged in the envelope 40 of the body of the toy. These two external 36 and internal 38 portions comprise removable assembly means in the form of screws 42.

[0045] On the other hand, the front peripheral rim of the casing 22 is equipped with locking tongues 43 adapted to snap into orifices 44 arranged on the internal frame 38, in order to lock the front face 23 of the box structure 20 on said casing 22 in a removable fashion.

[0046] The external portion 36 of said front face 23 has advantageously the shape of an opaque rectangular frame 46 fitted with an internal rabbet arranged to accommodate a transparent rectangular panel 37. This transparent panel 37 can be interconnected with the frame 46; it can also be maintained by simple clamping between said frame 46 and the envelope 40 of the toy, or the internal frame 38.

[0047] For safety reasons, the different screws 42 which assemble the external 36 and external 38 portions of the front face 23 are laid out internally; these screws 42 are mounted on the internal frame 38 and they are fixed to the orifices 47 arranged on the internal face of the frame 46.

[0048] The assembly of the external 36 and external 38 portions on the periphery of the opening 39 arranged in the envelope 40 of the body of the toy is carri d out before the casing 22 is fixed to the internal frame 38.

[0049] Once the assembly has been positioned in the body of the toy correctly, the envelope 40 is closed and the animation module 2 cannot be disassembled from the front, without being destroyed.

[0050] For the maintenance of the animation module 2, in case of default for instance, or simply to change the batteries or the imaging system 3, one can provide an opening in the body of the toy, for instance on the rear, associated with a removable closing means such as a zip fastener or self-hooking tapes.

[0051] The internal frame 38, the periphery of the opening 39 arranged in the envelope 40 of the body of the toy, and the external frame 46 with the transparent panel 37, constitute together the transparent screen 4; the corresponding openings have identical or similar shapes and dimensions, adapted to the dimensions of the imaging system 3.

[0052] The transparent panel 37 can be made of magnifying glass, to enable enlarged visualisation of the image.

[0053] To facilitate the assembly of the external 46 and internal 38 frames, and to obtain good global finish, the opening 39 arranged in the envelope 40 of the body of the toy is surrounded with a reinforcement frame 49 interconnected by a system of seams. This reinforcement frame 49 is preferably made of flexible plastic material and it comprises orifices 50 which let through the assembly screws 42.

[0054] One obtains an original animation structure integrated to the body of a teddy bear or any other toy of the same kind such as a doll for instance; this animation structure is activated and deactivated very easily while acting by a simply depressing the switch 15 placed at the end of one arm of the toy.

[0055] According to another possible embodiment illustrated on FIG. 8, the imaging system consists of slides 52 held in a removable fashion in housings 53 arranged on an appropriate supporting carrousel 54. The slides 52 can for instance be held on the supporting carrousel 54 by means of simple clips or notches 55.

[0056] As in the previous embodiment example, the support 54 of the imaging system is fixed in a removable fashion at the end of a rotational driving axis.

[0057] The operation of this structure is here preferably sequential, i.e. depressing the switch 15 drives the displacement of the carrousel 54 of a quarter turn to position the following slide opposite the transparent screen 4.

[0058] The activation of the lighting means and the triggering of the sound module, if any, are obviously suited to this sequential operation.

[0059] In particular, th lighting device of the slides 52 can be implanted identically to that indicated for the previous embodiment, for illuminating the transparent film from the rear. The control means of this lighting device are composed of a particular switch, independent of the switch 15, implanted for instance in another leg of the teddy bear.

[0060] For this embodiment, the front face of the protection box, or the rear face, can be adapted to enable easy changing of the slides; if it is the rear face, an appropriate opening will be provided in the rear portion of the envelope of the toy associated with a removable closing means such as a zip fastener or self-hooking tapes.

[0061] Still for this embodiment, the imaging system is advantageously associated with a module enabling the recording and the broadcasting of a sound message associated with each slide. It will be thus possible to record and to broadcast a particular comment associated with each image. The broadcast of this particular comment can be controlled by the slide-changing switch 15. 

1. A toy in the form of a teddy bear or a doll whereof the body section is equipped with a complementary attention-arousing device, characterised in that this complementary attention-arousing device is composed of an animation module (2) comprising an imaging system (3, 52) placed opposite a transparent screen (4) arranged on the envelope (40) of said body of the toy, which imaging system (3, 52) is mounted on a bracket in the form of a carrousel (6, 54) driven into rotation by back-geared means (8) supplied by a source of energy (14), and associated with a control member in the form of a switch (15), enabling the continuous or sequential scrolling of said imaging system (3, 52) opposite said transparent screen (4), and in that it comprises a lighting device (16) adapted for lighting up the portion of the imaging system (3, 52) placed opposite said transparent screen (4), which lighting device (16) is supplied by said source of energy (14) and associated with a control member in the form of a switch (15).
 2. A toy according to the claim 1, characterised in that the imaging system consists of a decorated tape (3) shaped into a cylinder on the supporting carrousel (6).
 3. A toy according to the claim 1, characterised in that the imaging system consists of slides (52) laid out in appropriate housings (53) arranged on the supporting carrousel (54), which carrousel (54) is associated with sequential activation means, depressing the switch (15) to position the following slide opposite the transparent screen (4).
 4. A toy according to the claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a particular switch for the lighting device (16), and a particular switch for the sequential driving of the carrousel (54), and in that it comprises means which enable to record sound messages and to broadcast them one by one as each slide (52) is positioned opposite the transparent screen (4).
 5. A toy according to any of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that it comprises a sound animation module (18) actuated by the control means of the imaging system (3) and/or the control means of the lighting device (16).
 6. A toy according to any of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the imaging system (3), its bracket (6), as well as the means (8) for actuating said bracket (6) are integrated in a box structure (20) composed of a casing (22) fitted with a removable front face (23) which constitutes the transparent screen (4), which box structure (20) comprises means for interconnecting the periphery of an opening (39) arranged in the envelope (40) of the body of the toy.
 7. A toy according to the claim 6, characterised in that the lighting device (16) is positioned inside the carrousel (6), or just above, fixed on the upper wall (27) of the casing (22), which wall (27) comprises an orifice (34) through which run the electric supply cables of said lighting device.
 8. A toy according to any of the claims 6 or 7, characterised in that the front face (23) of the box structure (20) comprises an external portion (36) whereof at least one zone (37) is transparent, and an internal portion (38) in the form of a frame, between which is squeezed the periphery of the opening (39) arranged in the envelope (40) of the body of the toy, said external (36) and internal (38) portions comprising of the removable assembly means(42).
 9. A toy according to the claim 8, characterised in that the external (36) and internal (38) portions of the front face (23) of the box structure (20) comprise removable assembly means which consist of fastening screws (42) laid out internally, i.e. mounted on the internal frame (38) and adapted to be screwed in orifices (47) arranged on said external portion (36).
 10. A toy according to any of the claims 6 to 9, characterised in that the frame (38) which constitutes the internal portion of the front face (23) of the box structure (20) is an independent part of the casing of box (22), said casing of box (22) and said internal frame (38) comprising removable interconnection means (43-44).
 11. A toy according to the claim 10, characterised in that the removable interconnection means between the casing of box (22) and the internal frame (38) consist of snap-on tongues (43) co-operating with appropriate orifices (44).
 12. A toy according to the claim 11, characterised in that the opening (39) arranged in the envelope (40) of the body of the toy is surrounded with an added reinforcement frame (49) interconnected by any appropriate means, in particular by a system of seams.
 13. A toy according to the claim 12, characterised in that the reinforcement frame (49) is made of plastic material and is fitted with orifices (50) to let through the screws (42) for removable assembly between the external (36) and internal (38) portions of the front face (23) of the box (20). 